New Mexico Office of the State Historian

Subject: Variadero BridgePosted: August 26, 2007 1:14 AM MDTComments: I would appreciate local history on the concrete truss bridge in Variadero, built c1915. All comments and memories welcomed, particularly from anyone who had family members who might have left records about its construction, and/or took photographs. Thank you.Posted By: Peg Hardman

Subject: Variadero BridgePosted: August 1, 2010 1:48 AM MDTComments: I doubt if many New Mexicans know the rarity of the concrete truss in America and throughout the World and, New Mexico has one of four in the world.
The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) has documented two of the four bridges - Broad Street in Mason, TX and, McMillin in Puyallup, WA. HAER has nothing on Variadero. Vareidero is a maverick design...unique to this state, one of three in the Nation, and one of four in the world.
I am confident that Vareadero is one of three reinforced-concrete trusses in the United States. The others are Broad Street Bridge (1918), Mason, Texas http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hh:49:./temp/~ammem_syyk:: I also know le Pont Rue Lafayette Bridge (1928) http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0000379 outside the Gare de l’Est in Paris, France.
I bring these four examples to your attention. Four, including Variadero, emphasize the historic and unique quality of Variadero Bridge. Though by-passed w/a newer bridge, any degradation of the integrity of this landmark bridge must be avoided to preserve its historic character and the innovative efforts to construct it.
I am requesting that the bridge is documented so it can be included in the national collection in the Library of Congress that will preserve the integrity and memory of the bridge. To accomplish this, being former Chief, Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), National Park Service, I know the standards of HAER documentation because I helped create and worked to improve them for over 30-years.
Knowing the rarity of the concrete truss type nationally, NMDOT, the SHPO and the citizens of New Mexico must preserve the Variadero Bridge through large-format photographs, a history and possibly measured and interpretive drawings. A copy should be kept in the sate and originals sent to Washington.
Sincerely,
Eric DeLony
Chief (Emeritus), Historic American Engineering Record
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior
Posted By: Eric DeLony

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